cinemajesty
"Girl With a Pearl Earring" combines the crafts of production design, cinematography and musical score sublimely. Director Peter Webber stands back, handling his cast in restraining fashion. Female lead, played by Scarlett Johansson on the verge to have her breakthrough with "Lost in Translation", releasing at international film festivals at the same time, gives the character of Griet undermined cold appearance. Nevertheless her potential is not fully explored in an adaptation of Tracy Chevalier's equally named novel on the evolutionary creation of the painting by Johannes Vermeer in 1665. Peter Webber delivers hardly the overall punchline "You've seen inside me", when Scarlett Johansson needed to be pushed out of the comfort zone of the ghostly dragging peasant girl, cleaning the artist's household. British actor Colin Firth, given the part of Vermeer, almost in the same restrained fashion. The characters of Griet and Vermeer share one tender moment, when the girl's ear needs to be pierced in order to hang the ear ring at her earlobe. The actors' hands meet for brief moment of truth, which saves the otherwise conventionally playing interpretation of historical period piece. Additional supporting cast members as Tom Wilkinson and Cillian Murphy are also in the film, but share the same fate of not getting intrigued into their characters enough in order to elevate the picture beyond mediocrity. "Girl With A Pearl Earring" can be enjoyed for its splendor in audio-visual decor, mainly through the expertise of a flawless collaboration between Cinematographer Eduardo Serra and Ben Van Os and round finish of Alexandre Desplat's minimalist piano score. For Director Peter Webber it has been a craftsman exercise towards cinema, from which never really departed to this day.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend
Filipe Neto
Vermeer is one of the most famous names in Flemish painting, and "Girl with Pearl Earring" is one of his most famous works. The whole film revolves around this painting and its model, developing a fictional story (based on a novel) in which the painter creates a sentimental connection with the model, without the film itself being clear about the nature of this relationship. We never realize if they are lovers or if they just create a friendship based on common interests. And this deliberate doubt is one of the elements that holds the public until the end of the film, despite being very stopped and having a rhythm that can leave some people bored.The construction of the characters deserves a positive mention. The film allows us to understand the character and personality of almost everyone. Griet, the maid/model, is a poor young woman who needs that job to survive, and for whom beauty can really be a drag. However, this is not the reason why she is shy and withdrawn to the point of keeping her blond hair always hidden. This is a result of time and place: Dutch morality was rather austere and puritanical, thanks to the Protestant mentality. This can also be seen in the contained attitude of Vermeer. He is a discreet and hard-working man, who literally lives on the art and needs it to pay his bills, which sometimes leaves his family's financial situation in some trouble. For him, the support of rich patrons was essential, and the film clearly shows it.The film is also interesting in technical issues, particularly in the scenarios and the way they recreated the time and place. We can, in several moments, see how important art was to build this environment. A lot of details in the scenery are clearly inspired or copied from Flemish paintings. But the art direction goes one step further, by embedding in the film the recreation of a series of famous paintings of this time. For example, there is a moment where the kitchens of the painter's house are shown and, for a brief moment, the image of the painting "The Milkmaid" is recreated.This is a worth watching movie.
Polina Mylova
"Girl with a Pearl Earring", directed by Peter Webber, was shown to the public in 2003 and, as far as I can guess, it immediately caught people's attention. The things that attract spectators are the casting and the feelings that can be found in the film. The action takes place in The Netherlands. It is a story about a poor young woman Greet with big expressive eyes, who began to work as a maid in the house of a famous artist, whose name was Johannes Vermeer. These two people found it pleasant to talk to each other and very soon the artist suggested that Greet should pose for him in his wife's pearl earrings. Of course, none of his friends and relatives liked the idea. The final made me sad. You will understand why, when you watch the film yourself.Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson played in such a good way, that they were able to show all the feeling and emotions of the heroes. I admired their acting during all the film. Moreover, the music and the costumes were also quite good. However, some people won't like this film, as there are several moments when dirty streets and poverty are shown. Another fact is that there is no much action in the film, that's why it may seem boring, but I don't agree with this. As for me, the main thing is not the action itself, it is the plot that makes you sympathize with the main heroes and understand their feelings.From my point of view, this film worth giving time to. I watched it together with my mother and she shared my opinion on the actors and the plot. So, I believe, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" suits both teenagers and adults. I advise you to see it!
herbalgal24
Scarlett Johansson is brilliant and so are all the other actors. The movie was done so well, I do hope it got awarded for almost everything... I loved it. The first time I saw Scarlett was in Ghost World. She had a small part but she really came on as a very smart person, which I totally think she is. Despite what others say, she has a beautiful face and her lips and innocence are to die for... she is a brilliant actress, I must say it again. She doesn't need makeup, yet when she does wear it she is va va voom beautiufl. Others are just jealous of her. She seems to have it all. Do watch this movie on demand, it was one of the top movies most viewed on comcast.
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